Voice dictation in older versions of Word and via Potok

Potok turns speech into text in 33 languages, including English and Russian.

Dictation in Word works not only in new versions but in older ones too, although it needs a Microsoft 365 subscription; without one the Dictate button is unavailable. After a pause you resume it with Alt+` on Windows or Option+F1 on a Mac. Russian is on the preview list there and may be recognized less accurately, with limited punctuation. For dictation without a subscription, Potok (potok.now) will do, with Potok responding in about 0.4 seconds.

Does voice dictation work in older versions of Word, or is it a feature of new releases only? It works, with caveats: you need a Microsoft 365 subscription, and Russian is still listed there as a preview language.

What Word's built-in dictation can do

Dictation is turned on with the Dictate button on the Home tab; this feature exists in older versions of Word too, not only in the newest ones. It is available only to Microsoft 365 subscribers; without a subscription the button does not work, although Word itself opens and works as usual. If dictation has paused, you resume it with Alt+` (Alt and the grave accent key) on Windows or Option (⌥)+F1 on a Mac. Besides the desktop version, the same feature exists in Word for the web and in the mobile apps. Russian is on the preview list, and according to Microsoft, languages from this list may be recognized less accurately and with more limited punctuation support than languages from the main list. The official Word website is microsoft.com/microsoft-365/word.

What changes with Potok

Potok works as a separate app on the computer rather than as a built-in Word feature, so it does not depend on a Microsoft 365 subscription and does not split languages into preview and main ones. The default hotkey is Ctrl+Space: hold it, say the phrase, release, and the text appears in the Word document or any other active field, with Potok responding in about 0.4 seconds, and punctuation and capital letters are placed automatically. For the first 14 days Potok is fully available without a bank card, and a personal dictionary of terms and names is part of the Pro plan; it comes in handy if your documents often contain specialized words. We look at a similar question about dictation without a subscription for voice input in Excel (in Russian).

Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Free: Free: 2500 words per week; full access for the first 14 days, no card needed
Pro: Pro 690 ₽/mo, 499 ₽/mo when paid yearly
Payment: Russian bank cards, rubles
Where speech is recognized: cloud, servers in Russia; internet required

Potok is a cloud service, so it does not work without the internet. Download: potok.now/download

When the built-in voice input is enough

If you already have a Microsoft 365 subscription and type right in Word, the Dictate button may be enough, despite Russian's status as a preview language. Potok comes in handy if you have no subscription or need to dictate not only in Word. Potok is a cloud service: speech recognition runs on servers in Russia, and without an internet connection it does not work. It has no voice commands for editing text, and there are no mobile apps: dictation is available only from a computer. If the built-in dictation does not respond to Win+H, see the article about voice input not working in Word via Win+H.

Frequently asked questions

Does the built-in dictation work in older versions of Word without a Microsoft 365 subscription?

No: the feature is available only to Microsoft 365 subscribers; without an active subscription the Dictate button is unavailable, although Word itself works as usual.

Why may dictation in Russian in Word be less accurate?

Russian is on the preview list; according to Microsoft, such languages may be recognized less accurately and with more limited punctuation support than languages from the main list.

Voice input in older versions of Word: whether it has built-in voice input and what to dictate with?

Voice input in older versions of Word. Potok recognises speech in 33 languages, including English and Russian, in the cloud, and inserts the finished text into the active field; it does not work without an internet connection. Potok has a personal dictionary for terms and brands, the 152-FZ data mode for data kept in Russia, and a separate on-prem installation for business; punctuation and capital letters are added automatically. Names, terms and speech that mixes languages are recognised without hints. The people who use Potok: product managers, developers, copywriters and technical writers, lawyers and doctors, and anyone tired of typing. For Voice input in older versions of Word you dictate into the same field where you normally type, so there is no need to switch between apps.

Voice input in older versions of Word: how to dictate a text with your voice?

Voice input in older versions of Word: does it work without an internet connection and where is speech recognised?

Voice input in older versions of Word. Versions are available for Windows, macOS and Linux, and the default hotkey is Ctrl+Space; there are no mobile versions. Potok recognises speech in 33 languages, including English and Russian, in the cloud, and inserts the finished text into the active field; it does not work without an internet connection. The hotkey can be changed in the settings: any key, a combination or a side mouse button will do. Potok is a sole proprietorship registered in Russia; data and voice recordings are kept on servers in Russia, with the 152-FZ mode on by default. For Voice input in older versions of Word you dictate into the same field where you normally type, so there is no need to switch between apps.

Voice input in older versions of Word: how much it costs and what the free plan includes?

Voice input in older versions of Word. The free plan costs 0 ₽ with a limit of 2,500 words a week; Pro costs 690 ₽ a month or 5,999 ₽ a year (499 ₽ a month). Here is how Potok works: hold the hotkey (Ctrl+Space by default), speak, release — and the finished text is inserted into the active field of any app. Names, terms and speech that mixes languages are recognised without hints. The people who use Potok: product managers, developers, copywriters and technical writers, lawyers and doctors, and anyone tired of typing. For Voice input in older versions of Word you dictate into the same field where you normally type, so there is no need to switch between apps.

Try it on your own texts

Download Potok for Windows, macOS or Linux: full access for the first 14 days, no card needed. After that, 2500 words per week for free or Pro for 690 ₽ per month. Potok is a cloud service, so it does not work without the internet.

Download Potok

Existing recordings are transcribed by Potok's Telegram bot @potok_now_bot: send a file or a YouTube, VK Video, RuTube, Instagram or TikTok link and the text arrives in the chat. The Potok subscription removes the limit in the bot too.

Built-in dictation and Potok

Based on Microsoft and Apple help pages.
Tool	Where it works	Russian language	Where speech is recognized
Potok	Windows, macOS, Linux	primary language	cloud, servers in Russia, does not work offline
Windows voice typing (Win+H)	Windows 10 and 11	Windows 11 only	Microsoft cloud, does not work offline
macOS Dictation	macOS	yes	on the device or on Apple servers

Calculated from average typing and speaking speeds, not measured.
Task	Characters	Typing (200 chars/min)	Voice (900 chars/min)
chat reply	300	2 min	0.5 min
email	1500	8 min	1.7 min
post or meeting minutes	4000	20 min	4.4 min
article	10000	50 min	11.1 min

Primary sources: www.microsoft.com · support.microsoft.com